Cartridge having light guide

Abstract

The invention relates to a cartridge for coupling to a metering device for dispensing at least one washing and / or cleaning agent preparation from the cartridge into the inside of a household appliance, wherein the cartridge comprises at least one chamber for storing at least one free-flowing or pourable washing and / or cleaning agent preparation, wherein at least one light guide into which a light signal can be coupled from outside of the cartridge is arranged in or on the cartridge.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of PCT / EP2010 / 000455, filed on Jan. 27, 2010, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to DE 10 2009 009 118.1 filed on Feb. 16, 2009.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention generally relates to a cartridge, to a dispenser for coupling to a cartridge, and to a dispensing system for delivering a plurality of preparations for use in water-conveying equipment, and more particularly relates to water-conveying household appliances, for example automatic dishwashers, washing machines, laundry driers, or automatic surface cleaning systems.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Automatic dishwashing agents are available to consumers in a plurality of presentations. In addition to traditional liquid manual dishwashing agents, automatic dishwashing agents have in particular become increasingly significant as household automatic dishwashers have become more common. These automatic dishwashing agents are typi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0284]A number of advantageous effects may thereby be achieved before the start of a water-releasing cleaning program of the automatic dishwasher. On the one hand, a suitable cleaning preparation can suppress the creation of unpleasant odors as a result of biological decomposition processes taking place in food residues adhering to the items being washed. On the other hand, an appropriate cleaning preparation can “soften” the food residues that may possibly be adhering to the items being washed, so that they can be easily and completely detached during the dishwasher cleaning program, in particular in the case of low temperature programs.

[0285]It is additionally possible to apply a preparation by means of the vibratory atomizer onto the items being washed after an automatic dishwasher cleaning program has ended. This can involve, for example, a preparation having antibacterial action or a preparation for modifying surfaces.APPLICATION EXAMPLES

[0286]In principle, the dispensing system of the kind described above is suitable for use in or in conjunction with water-conveying apparatuses of any kind.

[0287]The dispensing system according to the present invention is suitable in particular for use in water-conveying household appliances such as automatic dishwashers and / or washing machines, but is not limited to such use.

[0288]In general, it is possible to use the dispensing system according to the present invention wherever dispensing of at least one, preferably multiple preparations into a liquid medium, in accordance with an external physical or chemical parameter that triggers or controls a dispensing program, is required.

[0289]It is thus also conceivable, for example, to use the dispensing system in household robots, such as for example automatic floor cleaning machines, for dispensing cleaning substances into a toilet bowl or toilet flushing tank, in water-conveying cleaning devices such as, for example, pressure washers, in window-washing systems for vehicles, plant watering systems, steam ironing devices, valves, and the like.Description of Illustrations

Problems solved by technology

Because new ingredients are available only to a limited extent, however, and because for environmental and economic reasons the quantity of the ingredients used per cleaning cycle cannot be arbitrarily increased, there are natural limits to this approach to a solution.

In this connection, apparatuses for multiple dispensing of washing and cleaning agents have very recently come under scrutiny by product developers.

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